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“My name is Emmanuel Scott, this is my brother Leonardo Baldi, and this is my wife, Ivy.” Emmanuel took a seat on the sofa. Ivy sat beside him. Leonardo sat beside Ivy, although an armchair was available near Diana. Emmanuel wasn’t too pleased with the seat his brother had selected. Could he have left things the way they were? Yes, but fuck it. Emmanuel switched seats with Ivy, so he sat beside Leonardo instead.

Diana just raised an eyebrow at the action. “Well, it’s nice to meet you all. I have lemonade, chips, the good kind, ruffled, plain though, and oatmeal cookies. They are homemade but I didn’t put any raisins in them. That is as hospitable as I can be. Also, I smoke. A lot and as this is my house and all, I smoke right here in my favourite chair.”

It was then he noticed the spread she spoke about on the coffee table in front of them. In the middle of the table was a jug full of lemonade, ice, and thick sliced lemons. A stack of red plastic cups which put him in mind of the kind they used for beer back in college, a bowl of chips covered with plastic wrap, and a plate stacked with cookies, also covered in the clear wrap and a stack of napkins. Beside her was a lamp with a built-in shelf and on it was a glass ashtray. It surprised Emmanuel that he hadn’t smelled it before. It had more than a few discarded butts in there already.

“I think it would be easier if I told you what I know. If you have questions, I’ll answer them. Not to be rude or anything, but after today I don’t want to rehash the birth again.”

Emmanuel found he liked Diana’s matter of fact, no nonsense manner. She looked at them, waiting for their response. When they agreed, she began.

“All I ever wanted to do was be a nurse. I graduated when I was twenty. When you two were born, I had only been a nurse for a couple of months. I was wet behind the ears. So sheltered. Until then, I thought people were mostly kind. I knew evil existed, but I could pretend that it didn’t because I hadn’t encountered it.

A doctor I had a crush on asked me to be in the delivery room with him. It wasn’t normal practice, but I was so excited. The moment I walked into the room, I knew everything was wrong. It wasn’t a normal delivery room. I learned later it was a private suite.

There was a tall man in a suit. Later, I found out his name was Chester Ellison. At first, I thought he was the father. Back then, it wasn’t common for fathers to go into the delivery room, but a few were starting to do it. Many stood to the side, like Chester. I’ll tell you, he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there.”

She stopped and grabbed a clear plastic box and took out a hand-rolled cigarette. Diana was old school and lit it with a match. He did not know they still sold those. He watched her take two long drags before she continued.

“Connie looked so young and was scared. She kept calling for her Mamma. It broke my heart. Still does when I think about it. She was so unprepared. The doctor didn’t have much bedside manner. He kept yelling at her to push, and she told him she didn’t know how. ‘Looks like you want me to cut those babies out of you.’ The look of terror on her face. He even felt bad. Needless to say, being in the delivery room with him killed my crush.

Anyway, when he stepped out, I helped coach her. Thank God, my aunt was a midwife, and I helped her for as far back as I can remember. By the time the doctor got back in the room, we were sailing so much smoother. Connie was still crying, and all but had a steely determination. Everything went well until the first baby was born. That is when all hell broke loose.”

When Ivy squeezed his hand, it reminded him she sat beside him. Emmanuel had been so absorbed by Diana’s story that he had forgotten she was sitting beside him, much less that he was holding her hand.

Diana finished her cigarette, put it out, and immediately lit another one.

“The moment the first baby was born, Chester Ellison finally stepped out of the corner. The umbilical cord was just cut. Then he was barking at me. ‘Clean the baby up. I have to get him to his father.’ Connie was hysterical. Apparently, she didn’t know that they were going to take the firstborn or that she wouldn’t get to see him or hold him. Which one of you has the small crest on the left heel?” Diana asked as she looked between the two men.

“I do,” Emmanuel answered.

“Ahh, so you are the firstborn which ended up with Chester Ellis’s rich client. Connie was shattered and begged him. ‘Mr. Ellis, please just let me see my baby.’

He was so heartless. ‘This one will look like the other one. You agreed to give up one of the babies.’

I can still hear her. ‘You never said I couldn’t see him.’

That poor girl wailed so hard. I think it softened him just a little.

‘I wish this could be different, but this is what his father requested. Just try to be happy with your other baby and use the money to have a good life.’

‘I don’t want the money. Please, just let me have my son.’

All his kindness vanished, and he yelled at her.

‘Everything is already signed! I’ve told you, Concetta, you cannot back out. You will go to jail, and the father will end up with both babies. Don’t make this harder on yourself.’ Of course, he was full of shit. I used my hush money to go to law school after I quit nursing. Chester Ellis should have been disbarred for what he did to your mother. He had no business representing your father and her. No one had her best interest at heart.” She pressed her fingers to her lips and shook her head.

“Connie was so despondent after you were born.” Diana pointed to Emmanuel. “Emmanuel, was it?”

He nodded in confirmation.

“After Chester Ellis whisked you away, she was so despondent. I was so worried about the second baby. It felt like she gave up after that. It was the saddest thing.” She sighed and reached for yet another cigarette, but seemed to think better of it. Instead, she got up and poured herself some lemonade. After she gulped down one glass, she poured another and sat down.

“Don’t forget to help yourselves.

Where was I? Oh yes. I didn’t think I could snap her out of the state she was in. The doctor wasn’t showing her empathy. I convinced her she would hurt the baby waiting to be born and herself. The second birth she was sombre. Somehow, she got through it, but that poor girl was so riddled with grief. When I finally gave her the baby to hold, she held on, but she stared at the door as if willing the other baby to return. I’m going to be back. I have to head to the washroom.”

It seemed like it took hours for Diana to tell the story of what happened at the birth, but when Emmanuel glanced at his watch, only forty minutes had passed. He looked at Ivy and her tear-filled eyes were there, waiting for him.

Not for the first time, he felt badly that his past… his family’s past was such an unholy mess. Every step of the way, she was by his side. His heart filled with gratitude.

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